Papa said her letter had arrived in Sacramento a week after we had left there. He didn't know why it took so long to reach us. Luckily Papa had left a forwarding address at the Sacramento Post Office.

Dear Kirsten,

I hope you and your Ma and Pa made it safe to Sacramento. I was happy to get your letter. I hung your drawing in my room. I have thought about you a lot. I hope you and Else had fun in the wagon train. Did you see any Indians? I asked my teacher what happens on a wagon train. He said I should write an essay about it. I got a A! My whole class was interested to hear about your trip. Do I have your permission to share your letters with them?

I was happy to get to be your penpal. Pa will take me to the post office and I will put the stamp on this letter myself. I was hoping to see a pony express rider, but the postman said they are only out further West.

Ma said maybe I should draw you another picture of our house. I never told you before but I have a dog, his name is Ben. Ben is real smart! He can shake hands and he likes to go with me and my brother to the creek. We have a rope swing and sometimes in summer we fish and swim. Oh, my brother is named Thomas after my Pa, but we call him Tommy. He mostly says I'm a dumb girl and pulls my hair.

That's all for now, your good friend,

Isabelle

PS- God bless you and Ma said I shouldn't have writ that about Tommy

I so enjoyed getting Isabelle's letter and drawing. Isabelle was a good drawer. Mama helped me draw the last picture I sent, but I was determined to practice and draw a picture of our house on my own! I decided to write to Chenoa and Isabelle that same day.

I wrote both my letters and started my drawing. Mama still helped me a little, but I mostly did it all myself. Mama suggested I add the mountains in the background. My drawings were not as good as Isabelle's, but Mama reminded me that everyone was good at different things, so all the work would get done. What would happen if everyone was only good at ONE thing, who would cook and build and farm? I never thought about it that way.

I told both Chenoa and Isabelle all about our wagon West and about our new home and how I met my new friend Josefina. I told them how we didn't get snow here, but sometimes we saw it on the mountains far off. Papa was going to the mercantile store in Santa Inez and he said if Mama and I put on our bonnets he would take us both with him and I could mail my letters!

Papa drove us to town and after he got the nails and wire he needed, he bought Mama and me a pastry! I got to mail my letters and then it was time to go home again. Mama reminded me that tomorrow was Christmas Eve and we still had some preparations to complete.

I helped Mama make everything clean and tidy for Christmas.

I also helped Mama make some more tree decorations.

Soon enough it was Christmas Eve and Mama made a bowl of rice pudding for Tomte. Tomte is a little Gnome who brings gifts to children, a sort of Danish Santa Claus. Though I'm much too old to believe in anything like that.

When all was ready, Mama tucked me and Else up in our bed.

I knew I would never get to sleep.

Hmmm, snif..

Mmm, mmm.

As soon as I woke Christmas morning

I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs.

It looked like Papa must have eaten some pudding!
Oh and left me 2 oranges and a chocolate bar!

I would stay with Josefina for 10 days while Mama and Papa were on their trip to Santa Barbara.

Josefina wanted to go by the Santa Inez Mission so I could meet her uncle Joseph. As we walked, Josefina told me about her father and Uncle.

Josefina's Uncle Joseph was parish priest at the Mission. He and Josefina's father were brothers. Domingo and Joseph Fernandez. When the younger became a priest and left for the California Missions, his older brother left Spain and followed his younger brother looking for adventure. He took his young wife and baby daughter, Josefina.

Uncle Joseph! Uncle Joseph! This is Kirsten who I told you about.

Must you shout Josefina? (smiles kindly)

Sorry Uncle.

Very pleased to finally meet you Kirsten. I will say a prayer for your parents safe travel.